“Sexual intercourse with a child under-16 is statutory rape. All loopholes must be closed.I do not want to hear any excuses,” said First Lady Sandra Granger.First Lady Sandra Granger addresses those in attendance at the GRPA Dinner on Thursday evening.At the time she was issuing a call for those responsible for statutory rape to be pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.Addressing the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s (GRPA) fundraising dinner on Thursday evening,Wholesale Jerseys, at the Pegasus Hotel,Cheap Jerseys China, Mrs. Granger said that in Guyana, teenagers are giving birth, while the perpetrators are walking away without facing any consequences for their irresponsible actions.The First Lady said that there must be no excuses in finding the culprits and having them prosecuted.“This is where the might and majesty of the law must come into play. I do not want to hear any excuses… like he didn’t know the girl was under aged. Yes we do have adolescent schoolboys fathering children but in many cases girl children are forced to have sex with older men or forced by family members to become a sex worker,” Mrs. Granger said.Often, she said, the victims of these situations lack the critical information on sexual reproductive health (SRH) including contraception and STIs. As such, they become vulnerable and this must be rectified.The First Lady called for improved and equitable access to sexual reproductive health services for young girls and boys, in an effort to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Guyana.Mrs. Granger praised the work of the organisation in reaching out to teenagers with sexual reproductive health and family planning education.“The GRPA has done and continues to perform a valuable service to Guyana by providing a service such as this…The importance of these services cannot be over emphasised. By informing our young people, we are protecting and keeping them safe.”Describing the challenge in the region,Wholesale Jerseys, the First Lady said, “Guyana with Belize and Jamaica records the highest number of adolescent pregnancies in the Caribbean Community. There is a lack of information on sexual reproductive health and responsible parenthood especially for our young girls.A section of the gathering at the Thursday’s fundraising dinner.“There is a lack of antenatal classes which,Jerseys Wholesale, if provided, significantly improves the health outcomes for baby and mother. We must have education on SRH and family planning before any child becomes sexually active”.She noted that with education on sexual reproductive health and family planning, young girls and women, are more informed and able to make choices which will not only assist them in their personal growth but will also save the country, valuable resources.“Responsible parenthood and family planning have many benefits. These are in the areas of employment opportunities,NFL Jerseys From China, financial security, stability,Cheap Jerseys From China, more decision making power, and opportunities to join social and civic organisations, earning power and independence among others,” she said.